Small Business Success in Pittsburgh – La Prima Espresso
Sam Patti is the founder/owner of La Prima Espresso Company, an operation comprised of two espresso bars and one wholesale roasting facility. Sam is a veteran US Army officer. He has done graduate work in Italian Studies at Pitt and the University of Pennsylvania. For almost 40 years he has held a continuing interest in the field of Italian American Studies. He and wife Debra have raised three educated, purposeful young women. In 1988, Sam decided to open a storefront on 21st Street in the Strip District of Pittsburgh with the intention of selling and servicing commercial espresso machines. Over time, his store attracted locals who were drawn by the ambiance and authentic Italian-style espresso. The showroom evolved into an espresso bar which is still located at 205 21st Street. A second La Prima espresso bar has been providing Carnegie Mellon’s campus with high quality coffee for over twenty years at its kiosk in Wean Hall. As the company gained momentum, Sam purchased small batch roasters to begin roasting coffee out of the 21st Street location. Roasting needs grew and eventually the roasters were relocated to the Pittsburgh Produce Terminal on Smallman Street. The wholesale side of the company operated in the Strip District until 2013 when La Prima Espresso Co. purchased a building in the historic Manchester neighborhood on Pittsburgh’s North Side. La Prima Espresso Company strives to have a positive impact on the Pittsburgh community, partnering with organizations like Grow Pittsburgh and The Rachel Carson Homestead by donating one dollar for every pound of their individual blends that are sold. In 2007, La Prima became a certified organic roasting facility by Pennsylvania Certified Organic and Fair Trade certified by...
